Subaqueous tunnel.



No. 797,524. PATBNTED AUG. 15, 1905. D. D. MOBEAN. SUBAQUEOUS TUNNEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV'. 27, 1903.

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PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905. n. D. MOBEAN. SUBAQI'JEOUS TUNNEL.

APPLIATION FILED NOV. 27,'1903.

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DUNCAN D. MCBEAN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

SUBACQUEOUS TUNNEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed November 27, 1903. Serial No. 182,707.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DUNCAN D. MGBEAN, of the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Subaqueous Tunnels,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to subaqueous-tunnel construction; and it consists in the improved methods and features of construction hereinafter described in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a tunnel in process of construction. In it there is shown a working chamber with timber roof in which thc work of excavating the earth to the req uisite depth, the laying of a foundation, and the erectingl of a tunnel structure progressively thereon is carried on. The view shows a portion of' the earth bottom of the chamber before excavating, a portion where it has been excavated to the requisite depth, a portion where the foundation or base of the tunnel has been laid, and a section of the complete tunnel structure partially7 broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. 1, showing the masonry base or foundation of the tunnel laid in place and ready for the seating of the tube therein and the completion of the masonry superstructure. Fig. 3 is asimilar cross-section of Fig. 1, showing' the completed tunnel structure. Fig. A is a similar cross-section of a modified structure in which the upper portion of the tunnel-tube has first been utilized as the roof' of a working chamber, Within which chamber the material to be removed has been excavated, the tube completed, and the rest of the superstructure built in place to occupy the entire chamber, the roof` and side walls of which thus become part of the finished structure, and sho Tving also means for drainage and for strengthening the structure; and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional elevation of the compound metallic tube which I preferably employ in both of the types of tunnel structure shown in the other figures, illustrating the way in which it is built up with interconnected segments. In both styles or types and methods of construction illustrated the masonry foundation or base is first erected upon and embeds the tops of the foundationpiles, after which the superstructure is progressively erected thereon.

In the drawings, 2 represents the body of water under which the tunnel is to be con- Structed, 3 the slopes of the preliminary ex- 'ered by the timber roof 6.

cavation, and 4L the temporary bed of the stream or body of water constituting the covering of the working chamber A. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 this chamber is formed by the side walls 5, of' sheeting or rectangular sawed piles, and suitable bulkheads, such as that shown at the left end of the figure, which is formed by sheeting Walls 7 and 8, the whole being cov- 'Ihis bulkhead is preferably provided with an open shaft 9, through Which access is given to the interior of the bulkhead for purposes of stopping leaks or doing other work. The sheeting walls 5 are preferably connected by means of tierods 12.

10 represents series of piles driven into the bed of the preliminary excavation and serve, first, as means of support for the framework B, which braces and guides the sheeting 5, and finally serve as a foundation-support for the tunnel structure. After the necessary excavation has been made within the chamber a concrete or other masonry bed or base 11 for the tunnel is laid around the tops of the piles 10, embedding and anchoring the same. After this base has been thus formed, the piles having been cut o6? flush with the upper surface of the same, the compound tunnel-tube C is seated thereon, after which the space around the tube and within the walls 5 is filled in solid with concrete or other masonry, as shown. After the space has been filled the roof 6 may be removed and earth filled in over the completed structure, as indicated in Fig. 3.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 4 the roof or cover of the working chamber is formed by a section 13 of the upper portion of the compound tunnel-tube, which is provided with outwardly-projecting flanges 14, seated upon the top of the sheeting walls 5. In this modified form of chamber when the work of excavation is completed underneath the tunnel roof a masonry base 15 is laid, embedding the tops of the piles, as above described, after which the tunnel is completed and the tube seated thereon and the space between it and the side walls solidly filled with masonry. The slopes of the preliminary excavation may also be filled in with boulders 16 to more firmly anchor the structure. I prefer also to strengthen this structure by means of tie-rods 17, attached to the sheeting' walls near the bottom of the excavation and provided with turnbuckles 18, by means of which the walls may be drawn to- `cember 1, 1903, on subaqueous tunnels.

gether. The tube is also strengthened by means of a longitudinal vertical sheet-metal web 19, having its lower edge bolted between the meeting segments of the arches of the tube-sections, the upper edge of the web having a double iiange 20, making the web T- shaped. This serves as support and anchorage in the masonryfilling or covering 21 upon the tube. The anchorage of the piles 10 in the masonry base 15 is strengthened by connecting' the piles by caps 22. These caps also serve as a bed or seat for the tube C. 23 are drain-pipes, preferably arranged, as shown, lengthwise of the tunnel and interconnected by the pipe 24 and having suitable outlet. (Not shown.) The construction of the compound tube C is most clearly shown in Fig. 5. This tube is made up of longitudinal sections of two similar cylindrical tubes a and b, which are built up of segments 25, having inwardly-extended circumferential iianges 26 and longitudinal ianges 27, the

bolts 28 connecting' together the abutting flanges of contiguous segments. The spaces intermediate of the flanges are adapted to receive a suitable filling of concrete or other material 29, as shown in Fig. 4. The edges of the arch and invert of one tube-section are connected to the corresponding edges of the other section, so that the arcs of the sections overlap, and the united edges of the arches and inverts are connected by a common vertical diaphragm or wall D. This diaphragm is made up of segments 30, having a central web 31 and vertical flanges 32 and horizontal flanges 33 on both sides of the web, the spaces between these iianges being adapted to be filled in the same manner as the spaces between the flanges of the walls of the sections. This diaphragm is firmly secured tothe arches and inverts by means of bolts 34 passed through the flanges 27 of the contiguous segments 25 and the iianges 33 of the segments 30. Suitable means of communication may be provided between the two tube -sections, as by openings through the diaphragm, closed by suitable doors.

While the compound tube herein shown and described is made up of two cylindrical sections, it is obvious that a larger number of similar sections may be similarly united in one structure.

The means and methods of constructing working chambers and erecting sections of the tunnel structure therein are shown and described in the following-named patents of mine, viz. No. 741,588, dated Gctober 15, 1903, on sheeting-driver; No. 745,452, dated December 1, 1903, on sheeting; No. 745,453, dated December 1, 1903, ou pilot-sheeting; No. 745,456, dated December 1, 1903, on subaqueous tunnels, and No. 745,457, dated De- The claims of my said prior Patent No. 745,457 on subaqueous tunnels, which discloses much ofthe same subject-matter as the present application, are drawn to features and combinations which are to be distinguished from the claims in this application. The claims of the patent cover a tunnel structure having foundation and side walls of piles and also such foundation and side walls of piles, which are bothembedded in or anchored to the masonry. In the application the claims are drawn to cover a tunnel comprising masonry walls and base and inclosing sid e walls, with supportingpiles having' their tops embedded in the base, also tunnel structures having a metallic tube seated upon foundation-piles and having inclosing' and supporting side walls. The claims herein which could have been predicated upon the disclosure of said patent are Nos. 9, 10, and 11. These claims were omitted or transferred from the application of said patent and embodied herein, because they were deemed more appropriate for the present case in view of its general scope and certain other features more specifically claimed. This case and the other patents referred to constitute parts of a system comprising apparatus and methods for tunnel construction in successive or contiguous sections in which the work of excavation is carried on downwardly and the base and superstructure erected upon the beds of the excavated spaces as distinguished from systems whereby such work is carried on in a horizontal or lateral direction.

l claim- 1. In subaqueous-tunnel construction, the method of vertically excavating progressively contiguous sections ofthe tunnel site, then laying foundations in the excavated spaces, and then completing the superstructure thereon, all under pneumatic pressure.

2. The method of constructing subaqueous tunnels, which consists in first partially excavating the tunnel site, then progressively driving piling in the bed of said excavation, then progressively excavating around said piles and laying tunnel-base around and embedding' said piles, then progressively erecting the tunnel superstructure thereon.

3. The method of constructing subaqueous tunnels, which consists in first driving a series of piles in and along the tunnel site, then eX- cavating around said piles to the requisite depth, then building a masonry foundation around and embedding the upper parts of said piles, then progressively completing the tunnel structure thereon within a pneumatic chamber.

4. A subaqueous-tunnel structure, consisting of a sectional metallic tube, having strengthening masonry walls, a masonry bed, and supporting-piles with their tops entering said bed.

5. A subaq ueous tunnel, comprising masonry base and walls, a tunnel-tube within said masonry, supporting-piles having their tops embedded in said base, inclosing sidewalls of piles, and tie-rods connecting said side Walls beneath the tunnel-tube.

6. A subaqueous tunnel, comprising a mass of masonry forming the base thereof, supporting-piles and caps connecting the tops of said piles, said caps being embedded in said masonry.

7. A subaqueous tunnel, comprising a masonry base or foundation, supporting-piles, devices interconnecting said piles, said devices and the tops of said piles being embedded in said masonry.

8. A subaqueous tunnel, comprising a masonry base, linclosing side walls, supportingpiles and devices interconnecting said piles and said side Walls, said devices and the tops of said piles being embedded in said masonry.

9. A compound, metallic, tunnel-tube, comprising a plurality of similar, longitudinal, substantially cylindrical sections, the edges of the arches and inverts of contiguous sections being united by a common diaphragm.

10. A compound tunnel, comprising in one structure a plurality of similar, longitudinal sections of cylindrical tubes, the edges of the arches and inverts of contiguous sections being joined by a common, vertical diaphragm, said sections and diaphragm being composed of flanged segments, substantially as set forth.

11. A compound tunnel, comprising a plurality of similar, longitudinal sections of substantially cylindrical tubes combined in one structure, with the arcs of contiguous sections overlapping, each such section being composed of series of flanged segments, the arches and inverts of contiguous sections being united by a common vertical Wall or diaphragm, provided With suitable openings for intercommunication between the sections.

12. A compound tunnel-tube, comprising parallel tubular sections united by a common vertical diaphragm, and anchoring devices projecting above said diaphragm.

13. A subaqueous-tunne structure, comprising series of piles, caps upon the tops of said piles, and a metallic tube seated upon said caps.

14. The method oi' constructing subaqueous tunnels, which consists in applying pneumatic pressure successively to contiguous sections of the tunnel site and excavating under such pressure the beds of such sections.

15. The method of constructing subaq ueous tunnels, which consists in applying pneumatic pressure successively to contiguous sections of the tunnel site, then under such pressure excavating the beds of such sections and erecting sections of the tunnel in the excavated spaces. Y

16. The method of constructing subaqueous tunnels, which consists in arranging air-chambers successively over contiguous sections ot' the tunnel site, the beds of such sections constituting the bottoms of such chambers, then excavating the beds of such sections and erecting the tunnel structure in the excavated space.

Signed at New York city this 25th day of November, 1903.

DUNCAN D. MGBEAN.

Witnesses:

J. T. CRANE, P. J. POWERS. 

